Pandora-like Keyboard case for Android Phone?

[BrainSlugs83]

Hey guys, I tried to do a little searching before posting this, but I'm coming up blank.

I really love the keyboard and joystick layout of the official pandora case -- and I love my android phone. -- I want this keyboard / joystick for my android phone -- preferably in the form of a snap-on case.

• Is there any keyboard / joystick case like the Pandora available for modern android handsets? -- I've seen joystick ones, but not really keyboard ones.
  

• Has anyone hacked/modded a broken Pandora into a snap case for a specific phone? -- Even if it's a one off and they posted some info on a blog somewhere, if you know where, please let me know. I'm very interested in this.
  

• Is it possible to buy Pandora parts? -- like just the plastic case, sticks, and buttons? -- or even broken pandoras somewhere? -- and is there a gerber file for the PCB -- for the button pad layout at least? -- I could mod that, and put one together maybe. -- I've looked on the wiki, and most of the hardware links are broken. (The Faq is also dead.)
  

• And now that I think about it -- is there an STL file for the plastic case?
  

Thanks!

 

[comradekingu]

There was the ICP, but that doesnt have any keyboard. Closest thing keyboard-wise is TOHKBD for jolla, but that doesnt have joysticks.

http://pandorawiki.org/Keyboard
http://www.openpandora.org/downloads/files/Pandora_Case.zip

Edit: If you like Android phones and the op keyboard layout, you will love the pyra.

Should you be so inclined as to want just the keyboard-part, i'd start there.
It would be a shame to waste a full mainboard, but you could have a regular 2-layer board made with the gerbers. Teensy and a voltage-regulator+usb-otg cable, and you can hook up to a regular phone.
Depending on difficulty wanted, you can charge them externally, should last quite a while.

 

[ingoreis]

When you search a Cheap good Phone..then search for the Samsung Galaxy Relay4G.
Its fast enough for most Things and have a very good Hardwarekeyboard Buildin.
1.2Ghz Dualcore ist enough for all my Things and its not too big
Some Linux work on it too and the OTG work fine.
The only thing i miss are the gaming Controls.
There exist Fat Batterys with 4300Mah for it too.

Shure a Pyra will be better

Another Idea for you is using a "Pandora TV Out Edition" as Bluetooth Controller for your Phone

 

[BrainSlugs83]

Teensy and a voltage-regulator+usb-otg cable, and you can hook up to a regular phone.

That's basically exactly what I was thinking -- just use the gerber to design a new board with an ATMEGA32 on it -- reuse the existing case and buttons without harming the original electronics, in case I wanted to put it back together, or to sell as replacement parts...

Thanks for the STL links btw! -- Is there a gerber or some kind of CAD layout for the board linked somewhere? I didn't see it on the wiki you linked.

then search for the Samsung Galaxy Relay4G.

That was my old phone! Sadly even when it was brand new (I bought it at launch), it wasn't even close to flagship specs, I still got decent usage out of it for a couple of years. -- Controls weren't great for gaming, but some emulation was usable -- Especially for turn based games like Pokemon / Moemon. -- In 2014 it stopped being a viable device for me though (too damn slow to run most apps), and in 2015, it just plain died. -- I'm still two generations behind now on phones, but the phone I have now is ~4x as powerful as the Relay (Galaxy S5 has 8 cores of newer gen CPUs... -- Quad-core 1.9 GHz Cortex-A15 + quad-core 1.3 GHz Cortex-A7 -- and even that's getting a little slow... -- yay for hedonic adaptation!).

Re: Pyra -- Personally, I'd rather just have today's a flagship phone, and a Pandora-like keyboard case for it. -- When the Pyra is out, I might change my tune, but for now, I'll work with what I've got.

Edit: The other thing I was considering was building a PortaBerry-PI clone -- but honestly... I'd rather just use my phone, and have a wicked flip case for it.

Edit: Aha!, I think I found what I need here: https://pyra-handheld.com/boards/threads/the-day-the-pandora-goes-even-more-open.74432/, and here: https://pyra-handheld.com/boards/resources/pandora-pcb-open-files.4550/ -- NICE.

 

[rygD]

You need an ICP2.

 

[Klumpen]

I don't even have a smartphone, so it wouldn't be an option either way and I hate Android.

 

[BrainSlugs83]

You need an ICP2.

I googled that, it looks like some kind of chip programmer? -- I don't really know what I would need it for -- I already have chip programmers for all the MCUs that I work with; I've made other HID devices before with ATMEGAs using V-USB. -- It's kind of a hack because they bitbang the USB protocol -- probably not the most efficient use of battery power... but the devices work alright -- they seem to work in Windows and on whatever Linux the Raspberry-PI uses -- but I should test with my target Android device and OTG cable before beginning, for sure.

This is an arcade joystick I built a few years ago -- this is the old unpainted version with rat's nest wiring and literal duct tape on the inside (not to mention, it's using DIP sized components on protoboard -- but when you have that much space to waste...) -- Anyway, I don't know if I have pics of the new one anywhere, but, hey, it works.

 

[Klumpen]

 

[pmprog]

Actually, what rygD was referring to was the iControlPad2... It would have been what you wanted, but the kickstarter went a bit south

 

[rygD]

If only things had gone differently. I think it would have been a great product that was extremely popular. While there is only one Pandora/Pyra user in my house, I think there could have been 3 ICP2 users.
[doublepost=1465695847,1465695803][/doublepost]And that centered spacebar...

 

[vcoleiro1]

If only a different person had run that ICP2 project.

Also, Lest we remember the 3D printer, the disappearance and the unaccounted . Or as I call it, the good, the bad, and the ugly

 

[Caine]

The iControlPad2 was (and still is) conceptually a great idea. Too bad it was being run by such a fraud.

 

[liveunderwater]

Funny, BrainSlugs83 just walked into the old forums of the IControlPad2 and asked for everything that was the IControlPad2. Too bad "that guy" had to be behind the whole thing. I tossed away a good chunk of money on that thing.

 

[BrainSlugs83]

Ahh, that makes a lot more sense; my initial google searches came up with a popular in circuit programmer called "ICP2", so that's why I was confused.

But wow, dat keyboard! -- It's super impressive looking! -- Lame that it ended up like that. Heck, I'd just buy one online if it was a thing!! -- If I end up building anything, I'll let you guys know, but don't hold your breath.

By the way, thanks for the help, everyone.

 

[directive0]

is there anywhere someone could get a good look at the drama surrounding these devices?

I'm familiar with some of the dirty laundry, but I'd love to get a better oversight of the whole thing. This is computer history, if you ask me!

 

[Klumpen]

is there anywhere someone could get a good look at the drama surrounding these devices?

I'm familiar with some of the dirty laundry, but I'd love to get a better oversight of the whole thing. This is computer history, if you ask me!

https://www.pyra-handheld.com/boards/members/craigix.116/#postings
http://kickscammed.com/project/icontrolpad-2-by-product-3-llc/
https://www.facebook.com/icontrolpad?_fb_noscript=1
https://www.reddit.com/r/kickstarter/comments/1qjbcv/the_icontrolpad_2_has_finally_been_canceled/

 

[Holliefant]

Hmm still makes me sad, the icp2. I really really wanted that one.

 

[vcoleiro1]

I'm still surprised no one picked up the project after it's failure. Would have been cheap to buy what was left at the end.

 

[benoitb]

Hmm still makes me sad, the icp2. I really really wanted that one.

Me too. I lost 60$ but more importantly I lost the opportunity to get one and faith in Kickstarter...

 

[Mr_Loon]

Is there any keyboard / joystick case like the Pandora available for modern android handsets? -- I've seen joystick ones, but not really keyboard ones.

This is the closest I've seen, no idea how good it is but at under £20 it could be worth a gamble....